Omaha daily bee., 1887-08-08
ST. PETERSBURG.
in the Famous Russian
City.

City.
Leeds Mercury: At a distance st.
Petersburg appears as long and narrow
gray line or belt lying along the horizon.
and rising from it several gilded spires
and domes catch the sunlight and burn
vividly The slender spire of the Ad.
miralty, amongst others, strikes the eye
notably; but the great gildcd dome of St.
lsaacs cathedral Is both glowing and
majestic. 1t is an object of great beauty,
even when seen from afar; and it lifts to
a height of 1886 feet splendid cross, of a
form that betokens the faith that it repre-.
sents. AT nearer approach the misty
band of the city resolves itself into ship
ping and piers, into houses and large
buildings, and spires and domes sur
mounting conspicuous ediliceS betokcn
churches, the Admiralty or monasterles.
These last one learns to recognize before
reaching st. Petersburg, for they occur
elsewhere; and that of st. Sergius is es-
rection of Peterhof. Then the Neva
widens the Uleaborg lies at her quay,
and the passengers become small parts of
the great new world OF life they have
entered. And here, as the luggage is
landed to undergo second visitation of
the customs agents-the first having
been made at Abo. in the Grand Duchy of
Finland-passpOrts are returned to their
owners in the Office of the steamship on
the tlosting wharf at Vasili Ostro (Basil's
Island)
Of course, the tourist is attracted by
platoons of drivers Uf droskics, wearing
as uniform q low bell-crown hat and a
sort of robe de chambre, reaching to near
the feet and;cohfined at the waist byia belt
or girdle of some sort. One now begins to
realize that he is isolated, ifnot alone, for
the Russian language, and even it's char
acters are all strange. But pantomime
the position OF persons and luggage
something more, and the name OF the
hotel repeatedly declared completes the
chapter. and soon things are in motion
ana the desired hotel is reached. And 1t
is we'll if the tourist choose the Hotel de
i Europe, which is centrally situated, has
lift and excellent rooms and apart
ments and a capital restaurant. At once
the passport, defensor innocentium, is de.
manded, to satisfy and crafty the yearn-
ing of the police department, and If it be
once more found to be en- rcgle, its owner
- l was going to say it holder--is free to
make himself acquainted with the won
ders of the City of st. Peter (of Russia.)
But at his side, beyond the precincts of
the hotel, the valet de place must be his
shadow, as he must also be his agent and
ray and Baedeker in his hand. For the
second time he feels his helplessness
in the absence of knowledge
of the Russian language, and
his dependence upon guide
who may misstate facts and figures, es-
pecially of money, at every turn. His
opportunities are infinite, his temptations
rule; and yet the well-read. intelligent
tourist is more than a match for most of
these gentry, who know when they find
their master. But self defense is weak
in money dealings, in payment of fares,
of teamoney, or bribes, OF fees for SER
vices not rendered, or tickets, issued
without charge given admission to
public places or buildings. Let the
seeker of knowledge, therefore, himself
on no account allow the guide to be his
creditor until the end of the day.
In some instances, however, the French
and German, languages are spoken, and
here their employment is eminently
agreeable, as 1t restores independence;
but while in these cases an acquaintance
with Teutonlc or French might be ex-
pected on both sides, in majority of in
stances stewards, guardians, and inten-
dents are intrenched behind the Ian.
guage of the czar.
st. Petersburg. upon the five branches
of the Neva, and intersected also by four
canals, stands upon n mOnotOnOus level,
which extends north and eastward,
southwark far beyond Moscow, and
westward over the boundaries of Russia
into the empire of Germany. From a
height 1t appears by reason OF its flatncss,
as the map indicates, the winter palace,
hermitage and Admiralty are on one bank
of the great Neva; the bourse, the uni
verslty and the custom house on the
other. From the Admiralty several great
avenues radlate, the principal one being
the Nevski Prospect, the street of fine
shops and stores, extending as far as the
Alexander Nevski monastery; and on it
are found the famous Kazan cathedral,
one face of the great bazaar, and the pub
lie library. Scattered in other parts are
the Church of the Holy Trinity, the
academy of arts. and lesser palaces and
museums theaters, and opera houses.
In the fortress upon the Neva stands the
cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the
burial place of some of the czars, and
near 1t the arsenal,a museum OF artillery;
and in that part of the city, not far from
the admiralty, rises that magnificent
temple, st. Isaac's cathedral the splendid
gilded dome of which is the harbinger
and beacon of the dwellers upon the ter
restrial or aqueous plane surrounding it,
To understand St. Petersburg and Rus
sia, it is necessary to be familiar with the
Greek church. its organization, and its
relation to the temporalities, for the
czar is Its head as well as emperor, and
ITS authority is acknowledged, and Its de-
votiOnal aspect reelected from even the
meanest classes of the population.
Monasteries abound, more or less richly
endowed; cathedrals and churches are
ever open, and resounding with deep
toned bass voices of priests and chanters,
and shrines with icons Sacred pictures),
are scatteaed widely in towns-are not
absent IN the rural districts-and com
mand and secure from all devout passers
doiling of the hat self-crossing, the
Offering OF a short prayer, and the placing
of an obolus in the yearnJng Golfer be
meath it. And all this is besides what
visibly characterizes Its presence in prI-